Murder of a Phoenix
by blitzkreig50889
Summary: Oneshot prequel to A Ghostly Halloween. Kai is just having a normal Halloween and spends part of it at a museum, only for things to go wrong. Please R&R!


blitzkreig50889: well, I wasn't sure what to do for my fics I needed to update, but I got the idea for this oneshot so I figured I'd write it up.

Kai: of course. You really do get distracted easily don't you?

blitzkreig50889: shut it! Anyway, disclaimer and then I'll deliver a quick explanation about this fic.

Kai: and I take it I'm supposed to do the disclaimer aren't I?

blitzkreig50889: you bet.

Kai: figures. blizkreig50889 does not own beyblade or any of its characters. She just owns her plot ideas and her OCS which may pop into her fics at any time.

blitzkreig50889: thank you Kai. Now, for my readers, this fic is a oneshot prequel to my oneshot A Ghostly Halloween Gift. I got around to reading some of my old fics and I just suddenly got the idea to white up the prequel that lead to Kai's murder, so this oneshot was then created. Here's hoping you like this fic as much as you did A Ghostly Halloween Gift. Enjoy!

Murder of a Phoenix

Kai Hiwatari was a happy man. He had the day off from his blader's duties and he was determined to enjoy it.

Sighing, Kai exited the college building each of the world's most powerful blader's attended. Outside, he nearly laughed at the sight of young children walking home in costumes. He'd forgotten it was Halloween. It was only when the wind blew his slate and navy hair into his intense lavender eyes that he jerked and began walking to his destination; the museum.

As he moved through the city to the museum, he found himself smiling at the children in the costumes. He'd come a very long way from his tortured past in Biovolt, and seeing these children made him incredibly proud of himself and his old friends and teammates the Blitzkrieg Boys. It was while he was thinking of them that he reached the museum.

As usual, Kai found the museum quiet and well taken care of. Out of all of the musuems in Japan, this one was his favorite due to the sheer amount of anciet Egyptian artifacts it contained. It was a well known "secret" that Kai enjoyed being in places that were rich in ancient cultures and their artifacts, even if Kai himself didn't realize it.

Slowly, Kai walked through the Egyptian exhibits, a small smile on his face. They never ceased to amaze him and he spent several minutes looking at each artifact before he moved to a new one. He privately wondered if he should persue a career in archeology instead of pediatric medicine. But then, although he wouldn't admit it aloud, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to let any child suffer if he could aid them. He just didn't have it in him to be cruel to a child, no matter what his past. He had Ashley to thank for that.

At those thoughts, Kai smiled and reached into his right pocket. A small, velvet box sat there and made his smile even larger. At twenty-three, he was ready to make another big decision, if of course his girlfriend of almost eight years decided to agree with him. The number of years they'd been going out actually bothered him more than the question he intended to ask Ashley later that night.

"That ought to go over real well, Hiwatari," Kai thought as he remembered it was Halloween. "Maybe you'd better wait until Christmas so it's more romantic." That thought sent him into a mental round of cursing at his best friend, Tala. If it weren't for Tala, he wouldn't have been turned into a romantic. That thought alone terrified him slightly.

Kai shook his head. He'd wait until Christmas instead of asking tonight. It would just look better and Ashley would probably appreciate it more. Assured, he moved into the next room and continued his slow walk through the Egyptian exhibits. He never noticed the soft footsteps behind him or Dranzer's sudden worry for his safety as the phoenix's blade was in his bookbag. It was only when he was grabbed roughly from behind and half strangled that he realized he was in danger.

"What the fu-" Kai tried to get out but was cut off by a rope tightening sharply around his neck.

"Keep quiet and maybe I'll let you live," a teenager's voice ordered. Kai could tell it was male, and, in one of the few times of his life, did exactly as he was told. As there were other people in the exhibit besides himself, there was instanteous screams of terror. People tried to rush out of the room only to be cut off by the appearance of an anaconda bit beast. Kai knew immediately that he was dealing with a blader much like himself, only this blader was far crueler.

In his left front jean pocket, Kai felt his cell phone vibrate, signaling an incoming call. He reached for it, only to be cut off by his captor. "Leave it," the teenage male snapped. Kai instantly obeyed and allowed the boy to remove the phone from his pocket and answer it. On the other end of the phone, Ashley attempted to speak to him only to have his captor cut her off.

"If you want to see your boyfriend again, come to the musuem with the extensive Egyptian collection and bring your friends with you. Once I get what I want, I'll let your friend go, that is, as long as he cooperates."

"What?" Ashley's voice was obviously confused. "Why are you-?"

"Don't worry about why. Just get here," the teenager snapped while making sure Kai stayed quiet by tugging on the rope around Kai's neck. He then hung up the phone and shoved it into Kai's bookbag where Dranzer's blade was sitting. The boy tugged the blue blade out of the bookbag and threw it as far across the room as he could manage without damaging any of the artifacts in the room. Dranzer's blade came to a stop near a staircase that led the next floor of the museum.

Then, as if he couldn't stand the people in the museum any longer, the teenager ordered the people out of the building with the threat of death should any of them call the police. Every person instantly left building, although Kai noticed that several of them had their hands in their pockets as if clutching a cell phone to call the police the moment they were out of Kai's captor's sight.

"Well, Hiwatari, how does it feel?" the boy behind him asked. Kai slowly turned his head and met his captor's eyes. He was shocked to see his captor was no more than sixteen or seventeen, had dark brown eyes and hair, and appeared to be terrified. The boy's expression told Kai that the person who truly wanted to harm him was hidden somewhere nearby.

After his quick examination of the teenager, Kai finally answered his question. "Well, I feel like I've suddenly been put on exhibit, and other than the rope around my neck, I feel like any normal person would feel at a museum."

The teenager blinked in confusion. It was obvious Kai's answer was not what he'd been looking for.

"Take him to the top of the stairs and chain his hands together behind his back," another voice demanded. "If he tries anything, we'll just kill him."

The teenager shivered in terror at the sound of the voice. "Yes, Zacrin," he mumbled softly. He said it so softly that Zacrin didn't hear him and Kai barely heard him. Kai got the feeling the boy didn't want to do what he was being made to do and he followed the boy up the stairs calmly. He figured the more cooperative he was, the more likely that he and the boy holding him captive on orders would likely survive.

_"Don't do it!" _Dranzer cried faintly in Kai's mind. With his blade at the distance it was from his blader, Dranzer's voice was almost impossible to hear. _"They're going to kill you!"_

_"Relax, Dranz. If I die, then there's nothing I can do about it. What matters is that I kept someone else from suffering this fate."_

_"But-" _Dranzer started to argue only to be cut off.

_"No 'buts' Dranz. I'm not going to let someone else die when I could have did it for them. It wouldn't be right."_

Dranzer curled up into a ball in his blade and became quiet. There'd be no swaying Kai from this now. He was absolutely determined that no one be harmed.

Slowly, Kai continued to the top of the stairs and stood by the railing. The rope around his neck was tied to it, and Kai figured if they tried to kill him via hanging, that the rope would be long enough to get him to the ground without killing him. He just had to hope that Ashley arrived soon with the others or things could go wrong.

Kai was still standing at the railing several minutes later when he heard the sound of running footsteps heralding the arrival of his girlfriend and their friends.

"Kai!" Tala yelled. "Where are you?"

"He's in the third Egyptian exhibit room at the top of the staircase leading to the second floor of the building," the voice Kai had heard ordering the teenager earlier said. Again, the sound of running footsteps could be heard until they stopped in the room Kai was in. Kai could see each major beyblade team standing in the room.

"What the fuck is going on?" Bryan demanded the instant he was in the room. Kai shrugged and stayed quiet, hoping the teenager would either answer or the man ordering the teenager around, Zacrin, would answer Bryan's question. No such luck; both remained quiet. It was at this point the teenager chained his hands behind his back. Kai knew he could move the chains enough to bring his hands in front of him if he concentrated and had someone distract his true captor. Kai figured the teenager was too nervous to actually watch him closely. Sure enough, he got the distraction he needed from a near furious Ashley.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" She demanded of the hidden Zacrin. "You can't just kidnap a person and hold them like you're holding Kai."

"Of course I can. After all, I intend to kill him if I don't get what I want," Zacrin growled in annoyance. It was at that point that he finally revealed himself as he appeared next to the teenager. "Get out of here boy," he snapped at the teenager. The boy didn't have to be told to leave twice and he quickly hurried out of the museum with tears running down his cheeks after a quick glance back in Kai's direction. He mouthed "I'm sorry," before he continued his rush out of the building. Kai was immediately grateful that his friends left the boy alone and had turned their hatred and anger to the true criminal.

As the boy rushed out of the museum, Kai quickly manuevered his hands so that they were chained in front of him. His shoulders were able to relax instantly and his back wasn't in a slightly hunched postion anymore. Pleased at his current situation minus the rope around his neck, Kai looked over at Zacrin.

Zacrin was really no older than the other boy. Maybe a year or two if he was lucky, and Kai figured the boy had had to have had a very tortured past to be doing what he was doing now. It was the only logical explanation Kai could come up with. Zacrin however, paid Kai no attention despite the fact Kai could still easily move and get back at his captor.

The idea had barely entered his mind when the anaconda bit beast suddenly wrapped its tail around his neck. He froze.

"I wouldn't try any funny stuff, Hiwatari. After all, you do want to live, right?" Zacrin taunted.

Kai simply shrugged. "Who doesn't? Just make sure you keep any form of torture to me and not to my friends."

Zacrin raised an eyebrow. "Friends? Ha! As if they would be able to stop me should I chose to kill you, which, I do believe I will. You've been a rather irritating thorn in my side most of my life."

It was Kai's turn to be confused now. "What the hell are you talking about? Except for today, I've never seen you before in my life."

Zacrin didn't answer. He was too busy sizing up Kai's friends to see which he could use as a victim to keep Kai cooperative with him. That lack of attention was all Kai needed to send a quick telepathic message to Tala.

_"Stay out of this mess Ivanov no matter what the fuck happens."_

Tala's reply was nothing less than what Kai would expect. _"Have you gone fucking crazy?! This guy is a ticking time bomb. He could kill everyone here, you included."_

_"I know."_

Tala slowly looked in Kai's direction. _"You're really going to go through with this aren't you?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Fucking hell and damnation, Hiwatari!"_ Tala swore back. _"Do you know what this is going to do to everyone?"_

_"Yes."_

Tala this time looked sharply over at Kai, uncaring if Zacrin saw his annoyed expression and realized he and Kai were speaking telepathically. _"Fine, but you have to explain to the others before you die several years from now why you risked your life the way you did."_

_"Will do. And Ivanov?"_

_"What?"_

_"Thank you."_

Tala blinked before lowering his head and looking at the floor. Zacrin simply raised an eyebrow.

"Are you two done?" he queried irritably.

"Quite," Kai answered sharply, allowing his temper to spike up. At the raising of Kai's voice, his blade instantly flared up. Flames shot out of it as it went from sitting still to suddenly spinning. Kai was not about to go down without a fight.

Zacrin instantly retaliated. "Viperio, strike back. Do not give Hiwatari a chance to survive." The anaconda immediately obeyed and gave Kai a sudden shove towards the railing with its tail.

_"Oh, shit!" _Kai thought as he hit the railing. He only had a moment to glance at the length of the rope. It was long enough that he wouldn't die from strangulation, but it was also too long. It was going to snap his neck, and quite likely, remove his head from the rest of his body. _"This is not going to be pretty."_

_"Kai!" _Dranzer called as he tried to emerge from his blade. _"Hang on!"_

Kai wrapped his fingers around the railing as Viperio's tail wrapped around his body and lifted him from the ground. The anaconda lifted so strongly that he pried Kai's fingers from the railing.

_"Shit!" _Kai yelled mentally. _"Tala, make sure the others don't see this. My death is going to be messy."_

_"What death? Kai, that rope is easily long enough to save you from death."_

_"From strangulation yes. From loss of my head, no."_

_"Oh, fuck." _Tala thought before yelling to the others, "Get down and don't look. Things are about to get really bloody in here!"

_"Well, goodbye life," _Kai thought. _"As much as I hated you at one point, I'm still going to miss you."_ He closed his eyes as Viperio tossed him over the railing. This was it. He took one last breath, and as the rope tightened around his neck, he let it go with only on thing on his mind.

_"I'm sorry, Ashley, Dranzer. I'm really sorry."_

(Several hours later...)

Ashley could only sit in the city's police station in shock. He was gone. Kai was really gone.

Numbly, she looked down at his blade and the bit beast still inside it. Dranzer had stopped spinning the moment Kai had died and the phoenix had said nothing since then. It seemed Dranzer was grieving as much as she was.

Slowly, she curled into a ball on her chair and cried some more. She knew she wasn't the only one crying, although some of the others would never admit they'd cried at Kai's death. What was worse, was that despite Unicolyon's best efforts, the unicorn had not been able to keep Kai from death. He had died at the scene the moment his body had hit the floor and his head had been removed from his body. Ashley knew that Unicolyon had reattached Kai's head, but it had done nothing. No amount of magic in the world was going to bring him back. None.

She cried harder. Damn it! If only she'd been a little faster, if only the police had arrived a little sooner, if only Zacrin hadn't had a bit beast, if only...

Tears dropped down onto Kai's blade and it heated slightly in her hands. Dranzer understood. Dranzer was grieving as well. Dranzer would never be the same again, just as she would never be the same either.

_"Hey, don't do that. Please stop crying, Ashley," _a voice whispered in her head. Slowly she lifted her head up from her lap and looked around her. There were no officers nearby as they had left the office space nearest to her to give her some privacy for her tears. Not even the other blading teams were nearby.

_"Dranzer, was that you?"_ Ashley focused her thought to the phoenix and hoped Dranzer would answer her. Luckily, he did.

_"No, I thought it was Tala or one of the guys trying to console you. But when I looked for them, no one was there."_

_"How about I make things a bit clearer for you, since I'm the dead blader here that is somehow a ghost. Round up the others and head back to murder central so I can manage to explain things to you," _the voice ordered.

Again, Ashley looked around her for the owner of the voice. Again, she saw no one. It was Dranzer who decided to risk the impossible.

_"Kai?"_

_"Oh, thank the freaking heavens! Yes!" _the voice, Kai, said in relief. _"Please go to the murder scene for me. I know it'll be hard, but I have some things that need to be said and I don't think I'll be able to stay in this hospital much longer. That damn museum is dragging me back to it. I swear, if I have any other lives left to live, I'm never visiting another museum."_

Dranzer laughed weakly as Ashley rushed through the station. Oddly, she managed to gather everyone together and they managed to sneak into the museum turned murder scene.

"Ashley, do you mind telling us now why in all fucking hell we've came back here?" Tala growled.

She said one word, "Kai."

"But Kai's-"

"Yeah, I know. But he did make contact with me. He just did it as a ghost."

Tala raised an eyebrow. "I think grief has messed with your head. Ghost don't-"

"Exist," Ashley finished in exasperation. "But I know Kai was speaking to me. Dranzer heard him too!"

That pulled Tala up short. "What?"

"Dranzer could hear Kai too. Dang it, Kai, you got me hear now prove to the others you exist before they decide to lock me up in an asylum."

Sure enough, at Ashley's demand, the room became different. Temperature dropped drastically, mists filled the room, and Kai, as a ghost popped out of nowhere.

"I'm going to hate every second of this ghost stuff," he said as a way of greeting them. "This fighting to even be visible is a pain in the ass and unnecessarily exhausting. How the hell is a ghost supposed to tell people things if they keep turning invisible on the people they're trying to hold a conversation with?"

Kai stopped talking as he realized he was being stared at in shock. "What? Don't tell me you've never seen a ghost before?"

Surprisingly, Tyson shook his shock off first. "Kai?"

"No, I'm the freaking Easter Bunny. Of course it's me, Tyson!"

Tyson, at those words, went into a state of shock again. Kai rolled his eyes. "Okay, stare at me then, but I've got stuff to say and I don't know how long it'll take me to say it all. So, here goes. First thing, apology. Sorry about the very nasty death-before-my-time stuff. I really was trying to avoid that, but as you can tell, things didn't work out. Dranzer, sorry for putting you in the bookbag when I should've had you in my pocket where you belonged. You did warn me about that after all. Second thing, affairs. T-"

Tala finally realizing what he was seeing was real interrupted Kai. "What the fuck is this? A will or something?"

"A very unorthodox one, but yes," Kai answered. "Now can I continue. I can already feel myself fading out and it's not too comfortable."

"Continue," Ashley ordered before Tala could speak.

"With pleasure," Kai muttered before continuing. "Tala, I want you to keep Dranzer with you. You'll know what to do with him. Ashley, there was something in my right front jeans pocket. I want you to keep that. It's yours anyway. As for the rest of you, ask Dranzer for the rest of this mess. He knows what I'm talking about. Third and final thing, just because I'm dead, that doesn't mean I wouldn't mind a visit once in awhile. I'm pretty damn sure I'm here for a reason, but what that reason is is beyond me, so please drop in so I don't go crazy. And I've got to get out of here before I give you all a rather nasty scare for the second time today."

That comment raised eyebrows, but no comments were made. Kai at that point remembered something he had wanted to tell Tala, but when he tried to send it via their telepathic link, he found the link was gone. The loss of that link nearly brought him to shocked tears. He never cried, and to cry over something like this was ridiculous. He knew he was going to end up doing it anyway once the others were out of sight.

"Hey, Tala, hang on a second."

Tala paused on his way of walking out of the museum. "What is it Kai?"

"I came up with a name for that combination attack we were working on."

Tala turned and looked back at the rapidly fading apparition of his best friend. "And?" he choked out as he realized what he was seeing was indeed real at that soon he'd have no more contact with his best friend.

"It's called Arctic Blaze. Do me the favor of taming it and using it in battle."

Tala stared in shock as the others smiled slightly. Finally he got his mouth back in working order. "Okay, I'll do that."

"Thanks." With that single word, Kai disappeared out of sight, leaving the others to leave the scene. It was only after he was sure that they'd all left that he managed a ghost version of "sitting" on the floor. It was then that he let lose the tears he'd been holding in. And it was then that he realized that when a ghost cried, it cried rivers.

"Lovely," he grumbled. "Welcome to the life of a museum ghost, Hiwatari," he muttered to himself when the flood of tears ceased for a bit. "You better get used to this, because you're in this hell for the long haul." At that thought, the tears continued.

The next morning, the museum floors were flooded so badly that the museum had to close down for the day. The next several days yielded the same results. Finally, three weeks later, the flooding stopped with the aid of a certain red-headed, green eyed female.

blitzkreig50889: well, there you go. I'm sorry if it's a little long, but I just typed out what came to mind and hopefully you guys like it. As always, please remember to review and I'll try and update my other fics soon!


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